Stories Old and New: A Ming Dynasty Collection

Description

"Stories Old and New" is the first complete translation of Feng Menglong's "Gujin xiaoshuo" (also known as Yushi mingyan, Illustrious Words to Instruct the World), a collection of 40 short stories first published in 1620 in China. This is considered the best of Feng's three such collections and was a pivotal work in the development of vernacular fiction. The stories are valuable as examples of early fiction and for their detailed depiction of daily life among a broad range of social classes. The stories are populated by scholars and courtesans, spirits and ghosts, Buddhist monks and nuns, pirates and emperors, and officials both virtuous and corrupt. The streets and abodes of late-Ming China come alive in Shuhui Yang and Yunqin Yang's smooth and colorful translation of these entertaining tales. "Stories Old and New" has long been popular in China and has been published there in numerous editions. Although some of the stories have appeared in English translations in journals and anthologies, they have not previously been presented sequentially in thematic pairs as arranged by Feng Menglong. This unabridged translation, illustrated with a selection of woodcuts from the original Ming dynasty edition and including Feng's interlinear notes and marginal comments, as well as all of the verse woven throughout the text, allows the modern reader to experience the text as did its first audience nearly four centuries ago. Cover Title Copyright Dedication Contents List of Illustrations Acknowledgments Introduction Translators’ Note Chronology of Chinese Dynasties Stories Old and New Title Page from the 1620 Edition Preface to the 1620 Edition 1. Jiang Xingge Reencounters His Pearl Shirt 2. Censor Chen Ingeniously Solves the Case of the Gold Hairpins and Brooches 3. Han the Fifth Sells Her Charms in New Bridge Town 4. Ruan San Redeems His Debt in Leisurely Clouds Nunnery 5. Penniless Ma Zhou Meets His Opportunity through a Woman Selling Pancakes 6. Lord Ge Gives Away Pearl Maiden 7. Yang Jiao’ai Lays Down His Life for the Sake of Friendship 8. Wu Bao’an Abandons His Family to Ransom His Friend 9. Duke Pei of Jin Returns a Concubine to Her Rightful Husband 10. Magistrate Teng Settles the Case of Inheritance with Ghostly Cleverness 11. Zhao Bosheng Meets with Emperor Renzong in a Teahouse 12. The Courtesans Mourn Liu the Seventh in the Spring Breeze 13. Zhang Daoling Tests Zhao Sheng Seven Times 14. Chen Xiyi Rejects Four Appointments from the Imperial Court 15. The Dragon-and-Tiger Reunion of Shi Hongzhao the Minister and His Friend the King 16. The Chicken-and-Millet Dinner for Fan Juqing, Friend in Life and Death 17. Shan Fulang’s Happy Marriage in Quanzhou 18. Yang Balao’s Extraordinary Family Reunion in the Land of Yue 19. Yang Qianzhi Meets a M onk Knight-Errant on a Journey by Boat 20. Chen Congshan Loses His Wife on Mei Ridge 21. Qian Poliu Begins His Career in Lin’an 22. Zheng Huchen Seeks Revenge in Mumian Temple 23. Zhang Shunmei Finds a Fair Lady during the Lantern Festival 24. Yang Siwen Meets an Old Acquaintance in Yanshan 25. Yan Pingzhong Kills Three Men with Two Peaches 26. Shen Xiu Causes Seven Deaths with One Bird 27. Jin Yunu Beats the H eartless Man 28. Li Xiuqing Marries the Virgin Huang with Honor 29. Monk Moon Bright Redeems Willow Green 30. Abbot Mingwu Redeems Abbot Wujie 31. Sima Mao Disrupts Order in the Underworld and Sits in Judgment 32. Humu Di Intones Poems and Visits the Netherworld 33. Old Man Zhang Grows Melons and Marries Wennü 34. Mr. Li Saves a Snake and Wins Chenxin 35. The Monk with a Note Cleverly Tricks Huangfu’s Wife 36. Song the Fourth Greatly Torments Tightwad Zhang 37. Emperor Wudi of the Liang Dynasty Goes to the Land of Extreme Bliss through Ceaseless Cultivation 38. Ren the Filial Son with a Fiery Disposition Becomes a God 39. Wang Xinzhi Dies to Save the Entire Family 40. Shen Xiaoxia Encounters the Expedition Memorials Notes Bibliography